


Splat

by Troo



Category: Paintings - Sylessae
Genre: Elf, Gen, Magic, Mistakes were made, Original Character(s), Original Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26630497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Troo/pseuds/Troo
Summary: Elonna watches, unseen, as her daughter learns a new spell.





	Splat

**Author's Note:**

> This is a stand-alone short story set in the original world I've created that was based on a painting that Sylessae was working on.
> 
> Please do not use any of my characters or content. Thank you!

Delighted giggles full of childlike wonder ended the quiet peace of the cozy, stone-walled learning room. Colorful flowers exploding to life from the rapidly growing vine that had been a newly-potted cutting only a minute ago were the obvious cause for the little elf's excitement.  
  
Watching from the doorway, unnoticed, Elonna proudly smiled as her daughter celebrated a spell-casting victory with the enchantment tutor who was overseeing the girl's education. She cherished these increasingly rare moments.  
  
In time, the weight of being next in line to rule a kingdom would no doubt darken the innocence of the young elf who was currently slapping her palm against her teacher's in celebration. Thankfully, for now, it was the happiness of times like these that made up the girl's world.  
  
Laiara was barely into her sixth year of life but could already cast spells her mother hadn't mastered until the age of eight, and Elonna had always been considered magically gifted. It was becoming obvious as the princess excelled in her studies that her father's bloodline had favorably boosted the already significant power of her Kelnorin lineage. The kingdom would have an impressively-skilled queen when Elonna stepped aside one day.  
  
Instructor Valda interrupted Elonna's thoughts and Laiara's adorable dance by directing the girl's attention back to the plant on the wooden table beside them. The reason why was immediately obvious.  
  
Where there had been cobalt-streaked, yellow flowers sprouting from the still-growing vine, there were now strange, bulbous, green fruit that looked close to popping.  
  
Laiara gasped and froze.  
  
Valda calmly reached for the spell-book on the table next to the pot and pulled it away to safety just before the accidental crop burst with a rapid 'pop, pop, pop'. Juicy pulp and seeds splattered across the table, the floor, and the two elves nearest the experiment.  
  
The room was once again silent except the dripping plops of fruit flesh.  
  
Elonna caught the older elf's gaze and was met with a knowing grin.  
  
Valda had known. Valda always knew.  
  
The wise elder had taught Elonna this same lesson when she'd tutored her all those years ago.  
  
"What can be learned from this?" Valda's kind but stern words echoed in her memory exactly as they were being spoken out loud to her daughter. When Laiara couldn't come up with the answer, her teacher continued, "Always study the whole spell before trying a part of it."  
  
With a nod of her brown-haired head, the girl spoke with assurance, "I will from now on, Instructor."  
  
One last fruit ruptured, punctuating Laiara’s final word, and Elonna couldn't help laughing at the seriousness of her daughter's answer amidst the absurdity of the colorful, wet mess.  
  
The princess spun at her mother's voice. Unadulterated joy blossomed across her features as she raced to close the distance between them.  
  
"Momma! Did you see that?!" Laiara exclaimed as she was scooped up and hugged tightly.  
  
Pulling back so she could look into her daughter's face, Elonna smiled and said, "Yes, my little one. You did very well."  
  
Her child's face lit up at the praise.  
  
"Now how about you go help Instructor Valda clean up the mess the two of you have made?" she suggested while wiping a bit of green goop off of the tip of Laiara's delicately pointed ear. The girl nodded obediently and Elonna kissed her on the cheek before setting her down. "I will see you later tonight at home. I love you."  
  
“Love you too, ma.”  
  
Fruit bits trailed behind the girl, falling from the purple smock she wore as she skipped towards her instructor who was speaking the counter-spell to finally stop the plant's growth.  
  
Elonna looked down.  
  
She may have avoided the initial, messy blast, but she hadn't escaped completely; there were dots of green slime all across the front of her dressy clothing. It was a small price to pay for a hug, and the stains would come out with a little soap and scrubbing, but there wasn't time for that now.  
  
Twelve impatient, uptight members of the council were waiting on her, and they were simply going to have to deal with a little goop. It wasn't the first time she'd arrived at a meeting looking less than queenly, and it wouldn't be the last.  
  
With one final wave to the dirty duo, Elonna left what she loved most in the world behind her and headed towards the duty that she loathed.


End file.
